The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1887-03-03
srBNTssIoY "a rsyAs.


On Friday last joint resolution
passed the Texas-senate by a vote Of
% to 8, which had previously passed
the house by vote of s. to is, to
amend section 20 of article Is of the
state constitution. The following is
the text of the resolutions:
Section I. Be itresolved by the house
of representatives of the state of Tex
as, the senate concurring, that section
20 of article IS of the constitution be
so amended as to read as follows, to
Wit:
''Sec. 20. The manufacture, sale and
exchange of intoxicating liquors, ex-
cept for medical. mechanical and sci
entific purposes, is hereby prohibited
in the state of Texas. The legislature
shall at the first session held after the
adoption of this amendment exact nee
essary laws to put this provision into
effect
Sec. 2. The foregoing constitutional
amendment shall be submitted to a
vote of the state of Texas at an cleo
ton to be held for that purpose on the
| first Thursday in August, 1887, at
which election all voters favoring said
proposed amendment shall write on
their ballots the words, For the
amendment, nand those opposed to said
amendment shall write on their bal
lots, Against the amendment" The
| governor of the state is hereby directed
| to issue the necessary publication for
| said election under the existing cleo
| ton laws of the state.
on Friday evening Gov. Ross, was
seen, and, in answer to question.
said he had not seen the bill as yet, but
asserted that he would sign it if it was
in proper shape. As the proposition
seems to be in unexceptionable shape
it is more than probable that the bill
has been signed ere this. is in the hands
of our readers, especially when his po-
sition on the subject of temperance is
taken into consideration. In his first
message to the state legislature he
said:
There are many conscientious, hon.
est advocates of prohibition as a rem
edy for the admitted evils of intemper-
ance in our state who believe that this
is one of the great practical questions
which should be decided by an appeal
to the ballOt-box; while there are
others, equally conscientious and pa
triotic, who do not believe that real
temperance can be decreed or produced
by any forcing process under the oper-
alton of prohibition enactments. In
considering this question it is proper
we should bear in mind that in our
country the people are recognized as
the origin and seat of political power,
and that constitutions flow from them
instead of being concessions to them.
being simply rule of action defined
by themselves for themselves. This
great and universal princi-
pie is contained in the
bill of rights" which declares
that all political power is inherent in
the people, and that all free govern
ments are founded on their authority
and instituted for their benefit, and,
therefore, they have at all times an in
herent and indefeasable right to alter
reform, amend or abolish their form OF
government in such manner as they
may think proper; and as this is a
! right that is better subject to abuse
than limitation, / therefore suggest to
your honorable bodies the propriety OF
submitting for public consideration
such an amendment of this character
as you in your wisdom may conclude is
demanded by the will of the people
The respective members of your hon
| orable bodies are fresh from the peo-
pie and know their wishes, and youI
conclusion upon this matter will be
accepted by all good citizens as def
| mite and authoritative.